Whenever most people think about black light bulbs, they usually think of the kind you had when you were a kid lighting up special colors on a poster or an object.  While that may be what most of us are used to, there are many types of special effect lighting available on the market today.  They come in all different categories of lighting which includes incandescent, fluorescent and HID sources which emit light in different ways.  Black light bulbs give off a glow which people say is a deep purple color and causes certain kinds of objects or colors to react to the light.  This type of light has been used for this and many other applications like stage lighting for a night sky, display, special occasions bowling alleys and marketing gimmicks to get the attention of shoppers.  You can't help but love the way it lights up turning everything into something completely different.

Although there are several choices of black light bulbs, there are really two main types which are the black light blue and the standard black light which looks white when it's unlit, but has a specific nanometer range for certain kinds of lighting. The latter is used for inspection of materials but also is used in bug zappers, that's the color we're talking about here.  So if you have an inspection need then the 350 black light or 350BL might be the one you really want.  If on the other hand, you're going to be having a party or have a Halloween gig, then the typical use is the black light blue.  Both of these types are available as a fluorescent and not the incandescent.  The incandescent isn't as good of a light because it simply uses a coating over the bulb, which isn't very effective.  If you want the best results for any kind of black lighting situation, then you need to go for the fluorescent sources.  The fluorescent are sometimes designated as an F40T12BLB, which stand for black light blue.  The other type might be labeled as an F40T12BL.  Whichever one you have, it's best to stay with exactly the same one.

As with all fluorescent black light bulbs, they rely on ballasts inside of the fixtures in order to make them work. Ballasts are available from Universal, Magnatek, Advance, Osram Sylvania, among others. Almost all fixtures for circline bulbs come with ballasts already mounted and wired. The ballast is important because it is specific for each type of lamp.  You can't change from one type of fluorescent to another without changing the ballast in most cases.  On a rare occasion there may be a ballast that is made for several different types such as in the case of T8 lamps. Most of the time the ballast in the lamp are matched electrically and so it's good to make sure the ballast you have is the right one for the lamp you choose.

The incandescent black light bulbs come in a few configurations which are the A19, the BR30 or even a T10 lamp shape. All screw into standard light sockets and can bring the effect to almost any room that you might be trying to spruce up.  This is one of the ultimate party bulbs making colors change and creating a certain mood or feeling for any festive occasion.  Always remember that the effect of these incandescent versions are not as pronounced as a fluorescent or HID source.  If you don't have the right kind of fluorescent fixture, then these incandescent versions might be your only alternative.

There are many types of fluorescent black light bulbs, we describe some of the most common used in commercial or home lighting here.  There are also the compact fluorescent type which screw into regular light bulb sockets which makes for an easy effect.  Whatever type you choose or have, you will be getting the best light bulbs on the market today.  We have a large inventory of bulbs for nearly every type of light fixture in the field.  If you need help identifying the bulb you have, our customer service representatives can help you determine what you have.